Fabio Maldonado vs. James McSweeney
The fight was Fabio Maldonado's UFC debut and James McSweeney's debut at light-heavyweight. The Fight The first round began and they touched gloves. He landed a hard leg kick. Four thirty-five. James landed a counter right. He landed a blocked high kick. Four fifteen with another hard leg kick. James landed a nice right hand. He landed a blocked high kick. Four minutes. James landed a hard right hand and missed a high kick. He missed a jumping front kick. Three thirty-five. He landed a hard leg kick. Fabio only wanted that left hook. James missed a spinning back kick. He landed an inside kick to the groin. Fabio had to take a moment with three fifteen. Fabio continued and they touched gloves. James landed a counter right hook. He landed a right hand and kneed the face. Three minutes. He landed a leg kick. He missed a high front kick. Two thirty-five. James front-kicked and missed another. They clinched. Fabio landed a pair of body shots and those hurt James. He grabbed at his ribs. Two fifteen. They broke landing right hands at the same time and they clinched. James had a guillotine standing. He kneed the face and two more and another. Two minutes. Another knee and he let it go. He broke landing a high kick and missed another. Fabio touched the chin and again and again. Fabio landed a left hook to the bdoy. one thirty-five. Inside kick. James landed a big right hand. They clinched. They broke. James landed an inside kick. They clinched. One fifteen. James worked a double. He switched to a single. One minute. He let it go. James stuffed a trip and landed a big high kick and a jab and kneed the face and a left hook and a right hand and a left hook. Thirty. They clinched, Fabio kneed the body. He landed a big right hand James did. He landed a crescent kick and they clinched. Fifteen. James landed a left hook inside and kneed the body breaking. The first round ended. Fabio had a cut on his forehead more towards his left eye. His corner told him 'just have fun'. The second round began and they touched gloves and then again. James landed a right and a leg kick. James looked slower. Four thirty-five. Fabio landed a good jab. Four fifteen. James was throwing a lot but not landing. FOur minutes. Fabio landed a right to the body and James was hurting. He backed up hurting. He landed a body kick. Fabio jabbed the body and landed a right to the face. He landed a right to the body and James buckled and dropped. Fabio came down to half-guard and landed a left to the bdoy. Three thirty-five. He passed to side control. Three fifteen. Fabio put himself into half-guard. Three minutes. James regained guard. Fabio landed a left hand. He landed some short left hammerfists there. Fabio passed to side control. Two thirty-five. Fabio worked for an americana. He had it in. Two fifteen as James escaped. Two minutes. Fabio landed a left elbow and another. Another one. McSweeney was breathing hard there. Fabio landed three right hands. That last one hurt him. One thirty-five remaining. Fabio elbowed the body. He landed plenty of left hammerfists steadily getting harder, James was hurting and grunting. One fifteen. Fabio had the back there. Fabio landed a right elbow with one minute and a pair of right hammerfists. He landed a left hammerfist to the body and a left hand there and a right and a left. Fabio let him up. Thirty-five. Fabio landed a left hook and an uppercut and a left hook. Fabio landed a jab and a left hook and another. Fifteen there. Fabio landed a right hook left hook right hook combo to the body and hurt him badly. He landed a left hook and another and another and an uppercut and the second round ended. The third round began and they touched gloves. James wanted front kicks. He missed one and fell, Fabio beckoned and let him up. Four thirty. He was fucking exhausted. Fabio landed an uppercut. He landed a left hook to the body and a pair of rights and a left hook, a pair of left hooks got through the guard over the face and the ref stopped it for a standing TKO. James's nose was bleeding.